@Brendan - Would you mind updating us on how you are doing?
I am 23 days post Prostatectomy. Two days after they removed the catheter, I was having a really tuff time. I wrote the following as an email draft. From reading post, I sent my urologist a message through the patient portal on Oct 7 about 1) walking and 2) using 16 pads a day. He responded with a phone call! Made me feel much better. He stated start walking 1/2 mile and build, but be mindful of the pelvic and lower abdomen. He said that 16 pads was a lot and to use pull-ups. To measure progress from week to week. Week 2 - 12 pullups a day. Week 3 - 9 pullups a day.
@Brendan - back to you - For me, feeling the emotion and writing my feeling is a draft email helps.
I hope the following helps you in acknowledge your emotions and I hope your healing is progressing.
October 3, 2020
Day 9 after surgery and Day 2 after catheter removal
Subject: Today I am angry and that is okay
Just to state up front - Having the Prostatectomy with my urologist in Houston, TX was right for me.
Today I woke up angry. That is okay. I need to feel and state my emotions. Today was the first time that I cried in years. The emotions came rolling in as anger for having Prostate Cancer, having the prostate removed, and having to go through 16 depends guards in one day. I know it will get better. I know the number of times that I piss myself will reduce greatly within just this week. Today I have to say - My situation has gotten to me. I can say that I am angry at the world, I need to feel the emotion so I can release it. I don't want to talk to anyone today. And that is OKAY.
I made breakfast, I washed laundry, I washed dishes, and the dishwasher is running.
Getting to the surgery and the following week with the catheter, I was caught in the whirlwind. I had so many things on my check list of coordinating doctors (GP/HIV, cardiology, endocrinology, hematology/oncology), lab test, and research of options and others experience (I was fortunate being able to talk candidly with two people who choose different paths within the past 4 years) as well as having friends that spoke with people in their orbits that had a prostatectomy.
I had been so focus and busy that the reality of the first several days without the catheter is very messy. I thought with the catheter with fluids leaking between the tube and urethra that I was prepared.
I have been fortunate that everything has been contained and the towels I have been sitting on or laying on have not been needed.
Today - My situation has gotten to me mental / emotional.
